Caster



(No Model.)

S. C. MENDENHALL.

GASTER;

No. 314,965. Patented Mar. 31, 1885.

N. PETERS, Phafvuamgnpher. wnlvinm n c;

" UNITED STATES STEPHEN C. MENDENHALL, OF RICHMONQINDIANA.

CASTER.

.LJECFIGATIQG fsrmingpart of Letters Patent No. 314,965, dated Eiaroh 31, 1885.

Applica ion lled December 2, i884. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Beit known that I, STEPHEN G. MENDEN- HALL, a citizen of the United States. residing at Richmond, in the county of 'Wayne and State of Indiana, (present business address Cincinnati, Ohio,) have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Casters for Furniture and other Purposes, of which the following is a'speeitication.

My presentimprovements relate to methods of forming the top or socket of that form of stem-casters having a horizontal enlargement or chamber at bottom containing horizontal anti-friction rollers, against which the spindle bears. It also relates to improvements in the anti-friction devices for the top of the spindle, and to improvements in the method or' forming a licor-wheel roller, which are applicable as well to the above as to other forms of casters. To these ends I cast the stem portion either solid in one piece or in halves, either with or without an external screwthread for facilitating application to the furniture -leg or other part. At bottom said socket is formed with a horizontal flange chamfered at its outer edge, and is adapted to occupy a seat or shoulder upon a malleable cast or struck-up cap, an upwardly-projecting lip on which is bent over the chamfcred edge of the socket-ange, (when the flange is in position,) so as to hold the top and the anti-friction Wheels therein together. At top the socket is provided with a horizontal hardmetal diaphragm having circular bearing at center for a hard-metal stud on top of the spindle, and within the small chamber thus formed at the top of the socket I place an antifriction ball of hard m etal,adapted to bear upon said stud on the top of the spindle. This stud may be hardened in casting, if desired, or made of steel.

The invention further relates to an improvement in the axle-pin of the iioor wheel or roller, whereby the horns of the saddle are relieved of strain resulting from carelessness in the riveting or attaching of said pin.

y Theimproved caster-wheel is made of glass, with a central cylindrical bushing of phosphorbronze,Babbitt or other anti-friction metal. Betweensaid bushing and the glass portion of the roller is allowed in molding a suitable space, the sides of which may be left either in the roughened condition in which they are found after molding, or may be bored in any suitable manner. In this space I ram a quantity of artificial stone in a semi-liquid condition,

which when dry hardens, and so .maintains the bushing xedly in position.

In order that my invention may be more fully understood, I will proceed to describe it with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which-- Figure I is a side elevation, partly in vertical section, of my improved caster. Fig. II is a vertical section of the top or socket in condition to have its parts tixed together. Fig. III is a view of the bottom portion of said socket with the cap ixed thereon. Fig. IV isV a similar view showing a modified form. Fig. V is a side elevation of the top without the cap-plate. Fig. VI is a vertical section of the preferred form of iioor wheel or roller. Fig. VII is a bottom view of the saddle with axle-pin in position. Fig. VIII is a detached view ot' said pin.

lis the stem socket or top, which may or may not be cast in two parts, as here shown, and which may .or may not have external screw-threads, 2. If cast in two parts, it is formed at top with lips3, which may be fixed together by rivet 4. At bottom the socket is provided with horizontal iiauge 5, chamfered on its periphery, as shown in Fig. V.

6 is a cap` plate having vertical rim 7 ofsuiiicient height to allow a free chamber for the movement of a number of loose horizontal anti-friction rollers, 8, within which moves the spindle 9. Said cap-plate is provided with a" rest, either in the form of a shoulder, 10, as shown in Figs. II and III, or of a separate ring, ll. as shown in Fig. IV. Upon said shoulder or ring the flange 5 of the socket rests when the top is being put together, and the lip 12, or upper edge of the rim 7 of the cap-plate, is then swaged or spun over the chanifered periphery of said liange to hold socket and capplate together, as shown in Fig.` III. It Vwill be seen that the provision of a restfor the top, as here shown, insures the leaving of sufficient vertical space between the flange and the bottom ofthe cap plate to allow free movement to the rollers.

At top the socket is provided with a horizontal steel or hard-metal diaphragm, 13, hav- IOO ing central hole, 14, which provides lateral bearing for the stud 15 at the top of the spindie. Vertical bearing of the furniture attachment, and consequently of the furniture, upon the spindle takes place by way of the ball 16, of steel or other hard metal. The stud l5 may also be hardened in casting, or it may be of steel, so that there will be scarcely any wear between these two surfaces, while at the same time there is provided a very perfect anti-friction bearing. Ihe diaphragm 14 may occupy grooves in the sides of the socket and be fixed in place when the said socket is fastened together,or may be driven in in any desired manner. It will be seen that the chamber 17, formed at the top of the socket, is provided with inclined walls, which adapt the ball 16 to nd a seat at the top of the socket when the spindle is placed in position.

At bottom the spindle 9 is cast with or fixed to the horns 18 of the saddle, which surround and retain the door wheel or roller and have a pin, 19, occupying bearing in said roller. The said bearing consists of a tubular bushing, 20, formed of phosphor-bronze, Babbitt, brass, or other anti-friction metal, which may be provided at its ends with upturned lips or flanges 2l. The main body 22 of the floor wheel or roller is made of glass. It is preferably formed, in the act of molding or blowing, with shouldered portions 23 at each side.

24 is a mass of artificial stone or cement occupying the annular space between the bushing and the main body 22 of the roller.

The method of fixing the bushing in position isV as'follows: rlhe glass portion 'of the roller being formed, as described, with an enlarged axial opening. ris chucked or clamped, and the bushing 20 placed by suitable machinery accurately in the axis thereof. A quantity of artificial stone or cement is then forced into the annular space around the bushing, completely lling the same and being compressed with any desired force.

It will be readily seen that when dry and hard the artificial-stone packing, while aiding the insulating` qualities of the roller, rmly secures the bushing and glass together. It

will be observed that while the bushing may A thus be placed accurately in position while hollow, it may be convenient to place said bushing in solid, so as to avoid the necessity of such careful manipulation, and subsequently bore out the bearing for the pin 19. Said pin is held in place by riveting` one end, 27, on the outside of one of the horns 18, the shoulder 26 on said pin abutting against the inside of said horn, so that horn and pin are held rigidly together. rIhe bearing for the pin in the other horn is made of such diameter as to admit the pin, which when being put in position is slid through the roller and horns until stopped by the shoulder 26.

Vhile the pin is preferably formed with a head, it will be observed that practically said head could in this construction be omitted, while the pin serves to prevent breakage of the horns, so commonly occurring in the making of ordinary casters, by reason of carelessness in riveting.

I am aware that it has before been proposed to employ an anti-friction device for stemcasters, consisting of horizontal rolls mounted .on pins fixed in a horizontal enlargement of the socket or furniture attachment, the bottom of the enlarged chamber in said socket being covered by a cap-plate shouldered to fit within the outer rim of the socket. I am also aware that it has before been proposed to fasten the Ina-in vertical spindle or pin of a caster to the saddle by riveting the saddle up against a shoulder upon said pin. These con-I structions, therefore, I disclaim.

` I-Iaving thus described my invention, the following is what I claim as new therein and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. In combination with a furniture-socket having horizontal flange at bottom, a cap corresponding in cross-section to the shape of said flange, and having seat and lip, substantially as described. y 2. The combination of a furniture socket or stem, a. horizontal diaphragm therein having central bearing, as shown, a spindle having stud at top projecting through said bearing, and an anti-friction ball occupying the top of the socket and resting upon said stud, substantially as herein set forth.

3. In a furniture-caster socket, a horizontal diaphragm therein having central bearing, as shown, a spindle having stud at top projecting through said bearing, and an antifriction ball occupying the top of the socket and resting upon said stud, in combination with a series of anti-i`riction rollers at bottom of socketplate. y

4. In combination with a saddle having horns embracing the oor-whecl and axial openings of different sizes in said horns, an axle-pin having shoulder abutting against one horn of the saddle, and an extension projecting through and fixed on the outside of the same horn, substantially as set forth.

5. A tloor/ wheel or roller having an axial bushing of metal packed within the roller by means of artilicial stone or other equivalent material, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

STEPHEN C. MENDENHALL. Vitnesses: v

HARRY E. KNIGHT, L. M. Horknvs.

IOO

lIO 

